Good morning. The third chapter of the letter of 1 Peter begins with the apostle Peter’s words to wives:
In the same way, wives should be willing to serve your husbands. Then, even those who have refused to accept God’s teaching will be persuaded to believe because of the way you live. You will not need to say anything.Your husbands will see the pure lives that you live with respect for God. It is not fancy hair, gold jewelry, or fine clothes that should make you beautiful.No, your beauty should come from inside you—the beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. That beauty will never disappear. This is beauty that is of great worth to God. 1 Peter 3:1-4 (ERV)
I believe that these words addressed to wives carry a great deal of truth for all of us. How are the lost won to Christ? Is it through great preaching? Maybe, but probably not. Is it by attending a moving, spiritually powerful worship service? Perhaps, but why are they there?
If a person who doesn’t know the Lord comes into a time of worship that is spiritually powerful and includes a great message for them from the Word, then there should be a positive impact, drawing that person towards Christ. But what is going to get that lost person into that worship service in the first place?
The answer to that question is that it is the people of Christ, Christian folks like you and me. It is the unspoken message of people who reach out to them in humble, quiet, helpful, sacrificial love that will draw them to the Lord. Peter says it like this: Then, even those who have refused to accept God’s teaching will be persuaded to believe because of the way you live. It is the reality of genuine Christian life that is attractive and powerful. So much so that Peter goes on to say: You will not need to say anything.
It is the “sermonwithout words” that preaches the best.
The challenge for today is this, that we all try to be the best preachers we can be, especially when the sermon that wins souls doesn’t have words.
Vern